Friday 12 May 2017

Back to Hillmorton it is.

It's been a very good day despite the weather, which wasn't in fact as dire as it might have been and was distinctly warmer even when it was wet. We deliberately hung about at Newbold until half nine, doing bits and bobs and reading. It was my turn to steer and off we went just a bit before ten for the twenty minute run to Brownsover.

As we'd expected, the towpath improvement works are nothing like finished, though you can see it won't be much longer. Not only are there no improved moorings, the new edge has lost what rings there were.

We'd timed our arrival exactly right – there was a length available immediately after the bridge but on a bend. However, as we got there, the boat tied on the next length, which was dead straight, was just leaving and we dropped onto it as he went. There were even handy loops of rope through the railway line waling at the right spacing, too. By ten past ten, we were on our way to shop. First we went to Halfords in the retail park the other side of the bridge, where I bought a replacement instrument panel bulb for the rev counter.

Then we were able to cross the very busy road at some pedestrian lights, another improvement since we were last here, and did a good shop at Tesco. When we got back to the boat, who should be tied on the other side but Steve and Denise on Riverside Escape. We grabbed a coffee whilst stowing the supplies, then had lunch, during which time Steve and Denise set off having done their shopping.

After lunch, the rain had stopped, at least for a time, and it was pleasantly warm, so we decided to carry on back to Hillmorton. Here we found tied on the handy Armco... Riverside Escape. We've tied a boat length in front of them. They were planning to go to the café for a cup of tea and suggested we join them. This seemed like a good idea, except that a heavy shower started just as we were setting off, so a rapid retreat to Sanity Again was made.

We've had a very pleasant natter about this, that and the other thing and now look forward to a quiet evening, apart from the sheep and the occasional train, that is. We'll probably stay here tomorrow before carrying on to the jail moorings on Sunday. A couple of nights there, then back to Braunston for Tuesday is the current plan, subject to change, naturally.



Location:Hillmorton

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